Lover Boy (Part 16 of the series)
by Justright
Summary: Cole is unsure of the acceptance of Piper and Prue. See how Phoebe reacts to this :)


I love you not, I love You **__**

Lover Boy

They were walking on the street not far from the manor, hand in hand and feeling mighty happy. The day was beautiful and they had decided that a little sedentary exercise was just what the doctor ordered.

Phoebe:

-Isn't it nice?

Cole:

-Yeah, I must say that I didn't think much of this when you offered but it feels so peaceful.

Phoebe smiles and he kisses her lightly before continuing their walk.

As they are on their way back Cole says:

-You know I just realized something.

Phoebe:  
-What is that?

Cole seems to hesitate.

Phoebe:

-What?

He sighs and continues:

-That was wonderful and it just brings back how awkward it is sometimes with your family around.

Phoebe:

-Why do you say that? You know that they have accepted you.

Cole:

-You think so, really? Because it doesn't feel like acceptance but rather tolerance.

Phoebe:

-I'm sure that they have learned to appreciate you. You have to believe that.

Cole notices that Phoebe is a bit emotional and doesn't insist:

-I guess you're right he says smiling. I must have one of those days…

Phoebe senses that he is saying it for her:

-I really want you to feel accepted you know?

Cole turns to her and stops her for a moment taking her in his arms:

-Phoebe all that really matters to me is that you accept me. The rest is just not important.

Phoebe:

-You know that I do, I love you.

Cole:

-Yes I know and you make me the happiest man in any world every day because you do.

He kisses her again.

Phoebe looks at him, still unsure of why he talked about it in the first place.

-Are you sure that it's enough for you?

Cole:

-Yes it is.

They finish the walk with his arm around her, but no matter the assurance he gave her, Phoebe can't help but worry that maybe, he would need more than just her approval to be truly happy.

A little puppy walking alone in front of their house interrupts her train of thought.

-Hey would you look at that little puppy? I wonder if it is lost?

Cole is not too sure he finds that cute. But he still smiles more for the look on her face than at the appearance of the animal.

As they are approaching it the puppy runs away from them to Phoebe's disappointment.

Cole:

-Well I'm sure he's going home now.

Phoebe:

-I suppose.

Cole:

-You're not telling that you want a puppy now are you?

Phoebe:

-Why not?

Cole:

-Well for once he says with a little chuckle, dogs don't really agree with me. And if that wasn't enough, the baby will take all your attention will it not?

Phoebe:

-Yeah I guess, she says still looking in the direction the puppy ran.

Then she sighs and they enter the house.

A little way down the street the puppy stopped running and it now turns back toward the manor as if waiting for something. Then it goes in the bushes and transforms in a red hair woman with bright green eyes and an annoyed look.

-Why is he always around them? 

A shadow seems to lift from the ground and she turns toward it:

-Hey don't jump the guns, I told you I would get them and I will.

I just need to get them alone, that's all.

Tell them it will be soon.

The shadows seems to reenter the ground and the woman turns to look back toward the house:

-I better…

That night Phoebe left the others and got to the attic still troubled by what Cole told her that afternoon.

She couldn't help but wonder if his worries about acceptance might not be a sign that he is not as happy as he says.

She distractedly flips the pages of the book, not quiet sure of what she is looking for. Then a thought comes to her that she tries to reject but can't. "What if?" she thinks then she stops herself from even thinking about it.

For a long while she just stands there, biting her lower lip.

Then she starts again for herself "It couldn't hurt anybody now could it, just a little boost". Still she hesitates because she remembers that many of her spells have backfired on her.

Unsure she goes to sit and picks up a pad and pen distractedly. As if the pen had a mind of its own she thinks the words start to form on the paper. She just thinks again "What is wrong with him being happy?" Just one day, that would surely help his mood. 

She continues writing with more assurance. Then after a moment she reads what she wrote and smiles now, sure that it cannot hurt anybody to give him the acceptance he needs. She so much wants him to be happy.

In the living room, Cole felt somewhat out of place again. The others were not overtly suspicious of him, not really. But he knew that in the back of their mind there was always a lingering doubt about him.

In all honesty he admits to himself, I cannot blame them for this. After all, I had my doubts about myself. 

Living with them day in and day out though, had let him see how close they were and how they trusted each other implicitly. Maybe that is why he felt so out of place and unaccepted sometimes he told himself. He hoped so much that he would have deserved some of that trust by now…

Cole:

-Where is Phoebe, he asks realizing how long she's been gone?

Piper:

-I don't know. It's true that she has been gone for a while. Maybe she just went to bed early?

Cole:

-I guess…

He decides to make sure and excuses himself.

Again as he is living the room, he thinks he saw something like relief on their faces. But then he tells himself, I'm feeling a bit paranoiac today, I really should sleep on it. 

When he gets to their bedroom, he finds her already asleep. She looks so beautiful and at peace, it just makes him forget all about his worries.

He goes to lie down beside her and just looks at her sleeping, wondering how he can even feel the need for anything more. She has given him so much already. He kisses her on the lips and she smiles in her sleep.

-Good night my love. He says.

The next morning Phoebe wakes up at the sound of the shower running.

She puts her hand under the pillow and pulls the sheet of paper she tore off the pad last night. She casts a look back at the washroom door and again hesitates for a moment. Then she resolutely sits and holds the paper before her:

"For one Day, But one whole Day

Not a doubt there be this today

All you see is what I know

To Cole Turner thy love will show"

The shower stops and he soon comes out still gleaming with wetness.

She can't help but feel a little warmth. How can he still stir me so she asks herself? But there it is…

He smiles and asks:

-What is it?

She smiles and signals him to come closer.

They got down very late for breakfast that morning…

When they finally got there, they were surprised at the spread on the table.

Piper:

-Hey Cole how is it going today she asks all smiles.

He is a bit surprised but still answers in kind:

-Fine thanks.

Piper:

-Look at what I prepared for you two. Hope you're hungry she says still smiling.

Phoebe has to stop herself from giggling and is delighted to see his expression.

Prue enters the room while they are eating and she comes to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Prue:

-Hey good morning, isn't it a great morning?

Cole is just so astonished that he almost jumps at her touch but he just smiles a bit stupidly and turns back to his plate.

Phoebe:

-Prue didn't you have work today?

Prue just as smiling as Piper:

-You know what? I thought I'd take the morning off to spend some quality time with the family she says sitting next to Cole.

Phoebe puts her head down for fear that they will see her gleeful expression and guessed at what she's done.

Phoebe:

-That's great sis.

Cole feels that something is amiss but as it is, he begins to like what is happening.

Throughout the morning, they continue to surprise him with little attentions he wasn't used to. They even ask his advice on a few things he is sure they would never have even mentioned to him before.

After a while though, he begins to feel a little crowded and offers Phoebe to go out for lunch. The look of disappointment on Piper and Prue's face makes him squirm.

Piper:

-Come on I was going to prepare your favorite. 

Cole:

-Since when do you know what is my favorite?

Piper seems hurt by this and he regrets asking.

Piper:

-I asked Phoebe this morning.

But no matter he still feels that he needs to go out. 

Cole:

-Can we do this tonight instead?

Her smile returns:

-Of course, I just want you to feel welcome in this house that's all.

Now the uneasy feeling returns to him, but he chooses to accept that maybe they are seeing him in a better light than he thought.

His sincere smile as they are going out brings joy to Phoebe's heart. 

She senses that right now he has no doubts about himself being part of the family and that is all she wanted.

Outside she is surprised to see the puppy back again. She tries to approach it slowly but instead of running away this time the puppy goes straight at Cole and joyously wags its tail.

Cole is flabbergasted. Animals are usually utterly scared of him, but this puppy seems to like him.

-Well that is surprising if I may say so.

Phoebe:

-Why? She asks as innocently as she can. Although to herself she wonders how a dog could also be under the spell.

Cole:

-Nothing, I guess I'm still glowing from this morning he says with a sly smile. 

Phoebe:

-Don't be surprised if people, and dogs, like you. I've always known how really lovable you are. They are just figuring it out that's all.

He chuckles at this but it does boosts his ego one notch.

He bends to pet the puppy who is begging him for attention.

The puppy almost comically contortions itself at his touch and it brings a fuzzy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Then when he moves to go the puppy follows him all the way to the car.

But when Phoebe tries to pet it in turn the puppy just backs away, growling.

She frowns but dismisses it quickly and they depart. The puppy cries plaintively after they departed…

Again at the restaurant, people smiled at him in a very friendly manner. The waitress was all attentive to him, to the point that Phoebe got a bit irritated at the open flirting.

Cole was very embarrassed at this but he couldn't help being flattered also. He had not felt so wanted in just about all his life except with Phoebe. 

Even so, he noticed the annoyed expression on Phoebe's face and said:

-I'm sorry, I swear I don't know her or want to. You know that, don't you?

Phoebe smiles warily:

-Of course I do.

When he thinks that she's not quiet convinced he bends over the table and takes her face in his hands tenderly.

-Phoebe I love you, only you.

Phoebe knows what is happening of course but at this point she just can't help herself from worrying a little. She has had her own doubts about her appearance lately. The pregnancy had changed her figures so much already that seeing him smile to that young and pretty girl had given her a twinge of genuine jealousy. But now that he was looking at her with his most loving gaze, she pushed it away. 

Phoebe:

-I love you too she says in a soft voice. His kiss was tender and wanting at the same time and right then she would have liked to be back home.

After sitting back he kept her hand in his, and when the waitress came back, Phoebe saw that she was openly irritated at seeing them like this.

Phoebe started now to wonder about the spell…

Back outside the manor the puppy had gone a little way then transformed back into the red hair woman, but where before there had been irritation, now there was open longing.

-Belthazor where did you go? That retched woman is keeping you from me. But not for long. 

She transforms again into the puppy and goes to sit in the driveway, waiting for their return.

Inside, the two sisters are having a weird conversation:

Piper:

-When are they coming back?

Prue looks at her sister suspiciously:

-Why?

Piper says innocently:

-Nothing, I… I just wanted to see if Cole approved of the menu for tonight.

Prue:

-I think you should stay away from him.

Piper replies irritated:

-Why is that?

Prue:

-I'm sure he'd much prefer to come and tell me what he thinks of the pictures I took yesterday.

Piper:

-And what makes you think he'd prefer your company to mine?

Prue:

-Isn't it obvious? We always had a connection him and me.

Piper:

-You hate him…

Prue:

-Of course not. You're just jealous.

Piper just grunts dejectedly and turns around to go out of the living room.

Prue:

-Yeah sore loser, she says to her after she has left though…

Then she just grimaces as a little voice in the back of her mind tells her that something is amiss but she shuts it up as soon as it comes.

At the restaurant, the waitress has come back yet again to offer some coffee that they didn't need. It was the third time in ten minutes and Phoebe was starting again to get irritated at her. This time the waitress picked up something on the table and accidentally or not, knock a glass of water which spilled all over Phoebe.

This one jumped, angry. Cole:

-Are you ok?

She grunts something about clumsiness and then says she'll be back in a minute. She storms away from them without another word to Cole's total amazement. In the washroom, Phoebe tries to dry herself the best she can and all the while she tells herself "it's just the spell, tomorrow everything will be back to normal, calm yourself." And she almost does. By the time she comes out she has almost convinced herself but then she sees the waitress yet again flirting with him and him smiling at her and all reason is forgotten. She walks resolutely to them and brusquely demands the bill. The waitress seems upset and Cole is worried that he has done something wrong but he doesn't dare to ask.

The waitress finally relents and gives them the bill but not without smiling at him again and saying:

-Come back soon in a very suggestive voice that makes Phoebe want to hit her.

All the way back home she keeps silent and Cole feels the mounting tension to the point that when they get home and she's about to go out of the car, he stops her:

-Phoebe what is the matter?

Stubbornly, she says:

-Nothing is the matter.

Cole:

-Come on, you've been upset for the last thirty minutes and barely said a word.

Phoebe looks at him with an incredulous expression:

-You're not going to tell me that you don't know why, now are you?

Cole is very puzzled:

-Phoebe, what did I do?

Phoebe's irritation rises a notch:

-That woman did this to me and you were just smiling at her.

Cole:

-What?

Phoebe:

-You know what she did.

Cole:

-Come on I'm sure it was an accident.

Phoebe:

-You would say that. Then she just cuts off the discussion by going out and almost running toward the house.

Cole is so stunned that he doesn't even try to stop her.

After a moment, he goes out of the car too and is surprised to see the puppy coming to him wagging its tail joyously again.

Cole:

-Hey you, don't you have a home, he asks the puppy bending again to pet it? He gets the same reaction as before. At this point he prefers to stay out of the house and the dog is giving him the excuse he needs. 

As he is petting the dog, he wonders how things can have gone so wrong. The day had started so well and now they just had their first real fight and he didn't even know why.

Troubled, he decided that a walk might be good to clear his mind and started down the street followed closely by the puppy who didn't seem to want to leave him.

Inside, Phoebe had gone to the living room and was fuming on the couch. She was even angrier with herself than she was with him. Of course she knew she only had herself to blame for what happened but it didn't make it any better. Things turned to the worse when Prue came in.

-Hey where is Cole?

Phoebe just shrugged and said:

-He stayed outside.

Prue seemed very upset all of a sudden:

-Why? Is there something wrong?

Phoebe just realized that her sister was now looking at the door with real concern and that just pushed her over the edge:

-Will you please leave my boyfriend alone?

Prue, hurt by her comment:

-I'm just concern for his well being, you should be happy that I am.

Phoebe:

-Right now I would be happy if everybody was leaving him alone.

Prue:

-You don't need to be so mean. No wonder he didn't come back in with you. Maybe I should go see if he needs someone to talk to?

This acted as a cold shower for Phoebe. All of a sudden she realized how ridiculous she was. If her sister was so much under that spell, he certainly was not responsible for what everybody was doing today. 

-Let me take care of this ok?

Prue:

-Are you sure? 

Phoebe answers a little harshly:

-Yeah I'm sure.

Prue seems upset but doesn't insist.

Phoebe goes toward the door.

Cole is still walking away when he suddenly realizes that he chose the coward way. He knows he should not let this fester and he decides to go back and resolve this right away. But when he turns back he finds himself face to face with a red hair woman who is close enough to touch him. She raises her hand toward him and says:

-From this moment you are mine…

His mind goes blank and when she leads him to the car he just follows her.

When Phoebe opens the door, what she sees makes her heart miss a beat. Cole is sitting in the car but on the passenger's seat and a red hair woman is kissing him, then she puts the car in gear and they speed away.

For the last thirty minutes Phoebe has been either crying or fuming depending where her thoughts took her. On the one hand she cries certain now that he has somehow lied to her and doesn't find her attractive enough, but on the other hand she just tries to understand how he could have just picked up a woman on the street and gone away with her like that. No explanation comes to her. If it had only been a woman throwing herself at him, there would have been the obvious excuse but he had gone away with her and again the tears came back.

Prue comes back and finds her sister crying:

-Phoebe what's wrong, did something happened to Cole?

Phoebe looks at her sister with total amazement before she remembers why. 

Now she knows that the first thing she has to do is to break the spell.

But for that she needs some time alone and to calm down. The first one she takes care of right away by running upstairs and locking herself in her bedroom, to the stupefaction of her sister who still manages to ask her where Cole has gone.

Phoebe now back to fuming has to take some time before she can think straight again.

Then she goes to her pillow and looks up her spell.

The car is parked in front of a motel room about 30 minutes from the Halliwell manor. Inside Lydia is all over Cole trying to get a reaction from him but of course he just lets her, his mind just as blank as before.

-You may not know it yet but soon you'll forget all about her and you'll be thinking only of me. Then she kisses him.

Deep down, she knows that is not what she is supposed to be doing at all but nothing can stop the impulse she has felt since the morning.

She doesn't even worry about his reaction when the spell wears off.

At this point she still thinks he will fall for her as much as she thinks she loves him.

After an hour of ups and down Phoebe has finally managed to calm herself enough to start the counter spell. It doesn't take her long and now she looks at it wondering if that will be enough and if Cole has not simply left her for good…

Piper to Prue who seems distracted:

-Hey where are they? I thought Cole would be home by now. I heard Phoebe talking earlier. The meal is almost ready.

Prue:

-Would you stop that? He doesn't care about your stupid meal.

Piper:

-What? And you think he cares anything about your lousy pictures?

Prue:

-You little brat!

Phoebe starts to recite the spell:

"The Day ended, and for the Noun

As Before, all will be Known

To me alone the feeling is true

To Cole Turner love is no longer due"

In the kitchen, Prue is about to launch at her sister and stops herself just in time. She is stunned.

-What am I doing?

Piper:

-You? What am I doing?

The two sisters look at each other for a moment then they both understand. They do not need to say a word and turn in block decided to ask Phoebe for explanations.

In the motel room:

Lydia pulls away from Cole like he bit her.

-What the hell?

Of course he doesn't even reacts to this.

Lydia:

-What am I doing? They will kill me.

Then she suddenly realizes that he is still under the spell:

-Unless…

At the house, Phoebe hears her sisters clamoring at her and sighs heavily:

-Oh god what have I done?

Prue:

-Phoebe open that door.

Phoebe walks slowly to it.

Prue:

-Phoebe I will blow it open if you don't come…

Phoebe opens the door before she finishes then she turns back with her head down.

Prue:

-What have you gone and done again Phoebe?

Phoebe turns her red eyes full of tears toward her:

-Nothing that will hurt you more than it hurt me.

Piper:

-Don't you go and make it all about you. You put a spell on us.

Phoebe:

-And now it's over…

From the look on her face her sisters suddenly realize that she's not just talking about the spell.

Piper:

-Phoebe what happened?

Phoebe begins babbling through her tears:

-All I wanted was… was for him… I wanted…

Oh what have I done?

Prue:

-Phoebe speak clearly please.

Phoebe just looks at her with such sorrow that Prue forgets her anger, now very concerned with her well being.

Prue:

-Phoebe is something wrong with the baby she asks anxiously?

Phoebe:

-No she says in a little voice.

Piper:

-Then what? Come on Phoebe you're scaring us.

Phoebe:

-Cole… and that is all she can manage.

Piper and Prue understand something happened with him and Prue remembers vaguely that there had seemed to be a problem earlier:

-What happened this afternoon Phoebe?

Phoebe finally manages to talk:

-We had a fight; it was my fault… Then he went with another woman she almost screams.

Piper:

-What?

Prue lifts her eyebrows incredulously:

-Phoebe that doesn't make any sense. 

Phoebe:

-I know, but he did.

Piper:

-Why?

Phoebe:

-I don't know.

Her sisters see now that she won't make more sense and they lead her downstairs. Piper goes to prepare some tea while Prue still tries to understand what happened.

Prue:

-What was that spell?

Phoebe:

-I just wanted to make him happy. He was feeling down and worried that you didn't appreciate him. I just wanted him to feel wanted here…

Prue gets the picture:

-Well I guess that part worked.

Phoebe again in a little voice:

-Yes.

Prue:

-Then what happened?

Phoebe:

-It worked too much. Women were after him and I got jealous she says the sentence ending in a whisper.

Then she takes a deep breath and continues:

-We had a fight, and I came in but he stayed outside. I couldn't blame him. I was irrational.

Prue:

-That doesn't explain the rest Phoebe…

Phoebe:

-I know. I can't explain it either.

Piper is returning with the tea and she forces Phoebe to take a few sips before continuing. Phoebe smiles weakly at her, grateful.

Then:

-When I went to tell him how sorry I was, I saw him in the car with that woman all over him and then they left…

The girls are about to tell her again how it made no sense when something even weirder happens. Belthazor pushes the glass door open and walks in threateningly, growling.

The three women look at him stupefied. Phoebe gets up to try and talk him down but he catches her by the throat. That is when they notice the red hair woman entering behind him. She smiles triumphantly at them, knowing that her victory is at hand now that she controls the demon.

Phoebe eyes grow wide as he is tightening his grip. 

-Cole she tries to say but it barely passes her lips as she is already almost choking.

Prue lounges at him and manages to make him let go of her, then she tks him toward the woman who gets out of the way just in time. She turns to him to get him to return after them but her face changes the moment she looks at him. Now all his anger is directed at her for the moment he hit the ground, it somehow shook him out of the trance. He jumps up and goes straight at her, then picks her up and throws her out through the glass door. Then without hesitation he throws an energy ball at her which finishes her rapidly as she burns to a crisp. The moment he is sure it's over though, he returns to his human form and looks sheepishly in Phoebe's direction. But when she tries to go to him, he runs out of the house.

Phoebe tries to call to him but he just turns to look back toward the house, ashamed, then he shimmers away.

When she gets to the Mausoleum and looks at him, she tells herself it's a good thing that he is consistent. No matter what, when something troubles him, he returns here. Probably because of his father she tells herself again.

-Cole she calls softly.

He half turns toward her but doesn't answer.

Phoebe:

-Cole it's ok. I just want you to tell me what happened.

In a low voice he finally answers:

-I don't know.

Then he continues with a little more assurance:

-I was on the street and suddenly I found myself coming to the house and holding your throat. That… I don't know how you could ever forgive me…

Phoebe:

-I'm sure that wasn't you doing it. Who was she?

Cole turning to her now:

-A warlock called Lydia. She apparently was after you but for some reason she took me under her control and that's just about all I know.

Phoebe:

-I think it was my fault.

Cole:

-Don't be ridiculous, you had nothing to do with this.

Phoebe thinks maybe now is not the time to tell him.

Cole:

-Do you forgive me?

Phoebe:

-Of course that wasn't your fault.

He smiles weakly:

-Where are your sisters?

Phoebe:

-Outside.

Cole nods knowingly:

-I guess they do not trust me anymore.

Phoebe:

-They'll get over it.

After a moment of silence.

Cole:

-About this afternoon…

Phoebe takes a deep breath:

-I'm sorry, I was…

Cole interrupts her:

-No I'm sorry, I should not have let you go like that.

Phoebe:

-I got jealous she says in a little voice.

Cole seems very surprised:

-Of whom?

Phoebe:

-I don't think it was someone in particular, I just wasn't sure that you wanted me anymore…

Cole:

-How could you think that?

Phoebe:

-Well I don't look the same as when you met me anymore she says looking down at herself.

Cole approaches her now:

-Phoebe I don't know why you thought that but I want you to know that I could never love anybody else but you…

Phoebe smiles a little:

-Really?

Cole takes her hand in his and turns her palm up saying:

-Maybe it's not the best time but I want you to understand that all I want is to be with you forever…

He materializes a box in her hand and Phoebe just holds her breath.

When she says nothing he continues:

-No matter what your answer is, I just want to make sure that you know that.

She looks from the box to him then back at the box, totally incredulous…

He asks softly: 

-Will you?

She hesitates only an instant then she jumps in his arms kissing him passionately, almost making him lose his balance but he doesn't let go and their embrace becomes more passionate. Then he breaks the kiss, out of breath and asks:

-Is that a yes?

Phoebe:

-Definitely…

He kisses her again making her blood boil now. When he lets go keeping his lips very close to hers she says breathlessly:

-Let's go home now…

He asks:

-And your sisters?

Phoebe whispers:

-They'll understand…

They shimmer out.


End file.
